Whale-dolphin hybrid discovered off Hawaii

Originally spotted last year, this unusual animal has since been confirmed to be a genuine cross-breed.

In a new report from Cascadia Research Collective, scientists have concluded that the whale-dolphin is the result of a melon-headed whale breeding with a rough-toothed dolphin.

"We had the photos and suspected it was a hybrid from morphological characteristics intermediate between species," said marine mammal expert Robin Baird.

"[It is a] most unusual finding."

Intriguingly, one of its parents - the melon-headed whale - is incredibly rare in the waters around Hawaii, which makes this unorthodox pairing even more of a mystery.

"Hybrids among different species of whales and dolphins have been previously recorded, but this is the first case of a hybrid between these two species, and only the third confirmed case (with genetics) of a wild-born hybrid between two species in the family Delphinidae," Baird told Fox News.

"If we find it again, we'd like to try to get a biopsy sample of the melon-headed whale it was associated with as well as get underwater footage [and] images to better assess morphology."

They aren't really that far apart, they are both of the family, delphinidae, so it could be fertile. That is one way evolution works. When you think about when we shared the planet with other Hominids we mixed with them. Help strengthen our genetic makeup, but we are the last. A probable evolutionary dead end.

Depends if it's a boy or a girl. Mammals are heterogametic, as in males have XY and females XX chromosomes, the male offspring of a hybridisation in mammals tends to be sterile if its the one with the differing sex chromosomes. The reason for this is known to people more knowledgeable than I, my knowledge ended at the last full stop.